Orthopedic appliance



Nov, 8, 1949 w. J. 8005 2,487,691

ORTHOPEDIC APPLIANCE Filed March 13, 1944 A TTORNEY Patented Nov. 8, 1949 ORTHOPEDIC APPLIANCE Wilfred J. Boos, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Walk- Easy Foot Rest Manufacturing Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application March 13, 1944, Serial No. 526,284

Claims.

This invention relates generally to orthopedic appliances, and particularly to a mode of assembling such appliances whereby manufacture may be accomplished expeditiously.

The object of the present invention, generally stated, is to provide an orthopedic appliance of the cushion type which is readily manufactured, but easily adjusted to fit the needs and idiosyncrasies of the foot to which it is applied.

Other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view showing, somewhat diagrammatically, the method of preparing cushion material, such as sponge rubber, for incorporation into the orthopedic appliance of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view showing a further step in the preparation of the cushion material;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a sub-assembly of some members of the orthopedic appliance of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a view in side elevation of the parts shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a disassembled perspective view of the several sub-assemblies of parts of the orthopedic appliance, constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the completed orthopedic appliance.

In accordance with the present invention, a cushion material such as sponge rubber which, as manufactured in sheets, is characterized by the presence of a surface rind on both sides, is slit longitudinally so as to prepare thinner sheets, each having at least one rindless surface. The presence of the rind on the surface of a sponge rubber sheet substantially reduces the resilience or cushionin property of that sheet. For example, a sheet of sponge rubber a quarter of an inch thick as manufactured has two rind surfaces wherein the material is substantially denser than in the intermediate regions. For use as a cushioning material, as much as fifty per cent of the thickness of such a sheet may be useless; and the thinner such sheets are made, the greater becomes the proportion of the rind and the less the cushioning property of the sheet.

Where, however, it is desired to provide two thin sheets of sponge rubber having cushioning characteristics a sheet of the aggregate thickness of two such sheets may be slit to provide two sheets, each having one rindless surface and with adequate cushioning characteristics.

Having thus prepared cushioning sheets with at least one rindless surface, parts are died out of the size and shape desired for incorporation into the orthopedic appliance.

The present invention contemplates that one died-out blank be adhesively connected with another while between the two is a pocket, or a series of pockets, adapted to receive lifts.

Referring now to the drawings, a sheet of sponge rubber l is slit longitudinally as by means of a knife 2, to provide a pair of thinner sheets 3 and 30. Each of the sheets 3 and 30 may then have blanks 4 and 5 cut from it, as by bein died out. In the embodiment illustrated, the blank 4 constitutes the upper lamina of the finished orthopedic appliance, while the blank 5 will constitute the lower lamina thereof.

To the rind surface of the blank 5 a pocket member 6 is adhesively connected. The pocket member 6 may be composed of a piece ofleather, artificial leather or comparable material and, in the embodiment shown, is arranged above the forward thinned portion of the blank 5. With the pocket member 6 thus assembled upon the blank 5, a slit 1 is cut through the pocket member and the blank, said slit preferably terminating within the margin of the pocket member 6. If desired, of course, the slit may be formed in the pocket member separately from its formation in the blank 5 but to expedite manufacture it is preferable, first, to assemble these two parts, and slit them concurrently.

In some cases it may be found more convenient to preassemble the pocket pieces 6 and M by marginal stitching or adhesion before either is applied to the blank 4 or 5. Such alternative procedure may obviously be resorted to.

After the slit 1 is formed in the parts as just described, a bottom cover member 8 is applied to the rindless surface of blank 5 but terminates short thereof, leaving exposed at the forward thinned portion, the cellular sponge rubber structure for frictional engagement with the insole of a shoe. The cover 8 has its forward portion 9, which extends over the slit 1, left free of adhesive connection so as to form a covering flap for the slit 1'.

Similarly, the blank 4 is backed with a cover strip in of leather or leatherlike material. The cover I0 is preferably applied to the rind surface of blank 4.

A pocket member consisting of two substantially semi-circular pieces of textile material II and I2 stitched together about their arcuate margin and providing an opening I3 at the rectilinear portion thereof is then assembled with the sub-assembly consisting of blank 4 and its cover and blank 5 with its adjunct parts. A further pocket part 14, complemental to pocket parts 6, may be interposed between the pocket members ll, I2 and the sub-assembly constituting the lower lamina of the device. The several subassemblies are then adhesively connected by the application of adhesive over the entire area of the blank 4 and over that portion of blank 5 which is not covered by the pocket member 6. Any suit able adhesive capable of securing leather or fabric to sponge rubber and sponge rubber to sponge rubber may be utilized. When the several sub assemblies are aligned and adhesively connected, two pockets for the accommodation of lifts are provided in overlapping relation, access to the arch pocket being obtained through the opening l3 which is arranged at the inner margin of the assembled appliance, and access to the metatarsal pocket being obtained through the slit 1. As shown in Figure 6, a lift I5 is disposed within the arch pocket and a lift I6 is disposed within the metatarsal pocket. Either of the pockets may be omitted, if desired; and of course the arrangement shown makes it possible to remove or supply a supporting lift in either of the pockets at will, and to vary the size and configuration to suit the needs of the foot under treatment.

From the foregoing description those skilled in the art will readily understand the operation and advantages of the orthopedic appliance of the present invention. While one complete embodiment has been fully disclosed, it is realized that those skilled in the art will desire to make modifications and variations therein, in order to meet the exigencies of problems or cases with which they may be confronted, and it is therefore to' be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing disclosure.

Having thus described the invention,- what is claimed is:

1. An orthopedic device comprising, two layers of cushion material adhesively connected together, a two-part pocket member inserted between said layers and having a communication to the exterior thereof for the reception of a lift, the respective parts of said pocket member being connected respectively to the respective layers of cushion material.

2. An orthopedic device comprising, two layers of cushion material adhesively connected together, a two-part pocket member inserted between said layers and having an open side at one margin of the device, the respective parts of said pocket member being connected respectively to the respective layers of cushion material.

3'.- An orthopedic device comprising, two layers of cushion material adhesively connected together, a two-part pocket member inserted between said layers and one of said cushion layers having a slit therethrough to provide access to said pocket, the respective parts of said pocket member being connected respectively to the respective layers of cushion material.

4. An orthopedic device comprising, two layers of cushion material adhesively connected together, a two-part pocket member inserted between said layers and having an open side at the inner margin in the arch region of the device, another pocket at the metatarsal region, said latter pocket being marginally enclosed, one of said cushion members having a slit therethrough at the region of said latter pocket of providing access thereto.

5. An orthopedic device comprising, two layers of cushion material adhesively connected together, a pocket member inserted between said layers and one of said cushion layers having a slit therethroughto provide access to said pocket, and an exterior cover having a free flap extending across said slit.

WILFRED J. BOOS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 873,775 Nathan Dec. 17,1907 1,797,143 I-Iavey' Mar. 17, 1931 2,311,925 Boos 1 Feb. 23, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country I Date 420,216 Great Britain Nov. 27, 1934 508,566 Great Britain Sept. 25, 1937 

